Transcript NAVAL BASE GUAM ENDAGERED SPECIES

NAVAL BASE GUAM
T & E SPECIES RECOVERY
Mariana Swiftlet
Endangered
Green Turtle
Threatened
Mariana Common Moorhen
Endangered
Location Mariana Islands
Mariana Swiftlet
Aerodramus bartschi
Characteristics
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Endemic to Mariana Islands
Eats insects
Roosts and nests in caves
Nests of moss “glued” with saliva to cave walls
Echo locates inside caves for navigation
Causes of Decline
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Nests With Egg and Adult
Predators: Rats, Snakes on Guam
Cockroaches: eat nest “glue”-nests fall
Cave disturbance by humans
Development: loss of foraging habitat
Pesticides ?
Forages on the Wing
Current Swiftlet Populations
Saipan 5000 declining
Tinian extirpated 1970’s
Aguijan 400 declining
Rota extirpated 1970’s
Guam 1500 increasing
Naval Base Guam
2014 population estimates 3 caves:
• Mahlac = 1203
• Maemong = 226
• Fachi = 64
Population Estimates 1986-2014
Mahlac
Maemong
Fachi
Swiftlet Project: Monitoring
Populations and Predators Through
Use of Thermal and Near IR Cameras,
and Lidar System.
 Thermal Cameras and Software:
successful at tracking and counting birds
monitoring distribution of nesting/roosting birds,
and detecting rodents.
Thermal Image
 Near-IR Data:
can be manually processed to
count entering/exiting birds.
 Lidar system:
was unsuccessful.
Near IR Images
Swiftlet Projects: Brown Treesnake Control
 Evaluation of BTS Use at Caves FY 14:
Quarterly visual searches at swiftlet and non-swiftlet caves.
BTS captured at all swiftlet caves = 23.
No BTS captured at non-swiftlet caves.
 Isotope Analysis of BTS Captured at Swiftlet Caves:
Examined diet composition: In progress, results in FY2015.
 Evaluation of Mouse-baited Traps to Attract
Snakes to a Focal Area:
Results suggest that mouse baited traps do not
attract BTS to a focal area of conservation concern,
potentially increasing predation rates on birds .
Live Mouse Baited Trap
 Snake Trapping and Toxicant Baiting FY 14:
94 mouse baited traps caught 131 snakes.
90 “pinkie” toxicant baited tubes: 394 baits taken.
Pinkie Toxicant Baited Tube
Mariana Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus guami
Characteristics
 Subspecies Endemic to Mariana Islands.
 Eats aquatic plants, insects; generalist omnivore.
 Prefers shallow wetlands with both open water
and emergent vegetation.
 Nests of woven vegetation in emergent plants.
 Chicks precocial.
Nest With Chick
Causes of Decline
 Predators: Rats, cats, monitor lizards,
snakes on Guam.
 Loss of wetland habitat.
 Competition with invasive species like tilapia.
Outreach Signage
Current Moorhen Populations
Saipan 100
Tinian 50
Rota 10
Guam 100-150 declining?
Moorhen Project: Wetland Use and Population Survey
 Mariana common moorhen were surveyed during
the 2014 dry and wet seasons.
 Recorded moorhen vocalization “playback” point count
methodology was used.
Nest on Pond Water Fountain
 Dry season results: 104 point count stations surveyed,
and detected 22 adults in 12 wetlands.
 Wet season results: 109 point count stations surveyed,
and detected 8 adults and 4 chicks in 5 wetlands.
 Surveys will be repeated in 2015 with addition of motion
activated cameras placed at nests to document nesting
success.
Nest With Eggs
Moorhen Project: Nesting Platforms Fena Reservoir
 Ten 6’X6’ and two 20’x20’
platforms deployed,
November 2014.
 Small platforms with sedge.
 Large platforms with Hydrilla.
 Platforms anchored in shallow water.
 No nesting as of February 2015.
Towing Platform
Small Platform Before Sedge
Large Platform Being Anchored
Hydrilla
Small Platform After Sedge
Platform Locations
Green Turtle
Chelonia mydas
Trashed Nesting Beach
Characteristics
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Worldwide distribution: tropical/sub-tropical.
Eats sea grass and corollaceous algae.
Migrate long distances to nest.
Eggs and meat delicacies.
Causes of Decline
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Overharvest.
Ingestion of plastics.
Entanglement and boat strikes.
Development of beach nesting areas.
Artificial lights on nesting beaches.
Disease.
Green Turtle Populations
Saipan-Tinian-Rota:
 Nesting Females = 10-20 Annually
 Juvenile Foragers = 1000-2000
Guam:
 Nesting Females = 40 recorded in 10 years
 Juvenile Foragers = 200-250
Green Turtle Project: Satellite Tagging
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PAC FLEET Funded: NBG Facilitated.
Free diving hand capture of turtles.
Twenty turtles Tagged.
Study will examine distribution and abundance
of sea turtles and identify habitat used by turtles
on DoD submerged lands around Guam.
 Final results and report expected FY2016.
Green Turtle Projects:
Nesting Surveys and
Nest Excavation
 FY 2014: 347 surveys conducted on 9
beaches during nesting season.
 9 nesting events recorded at 2 beaches.
Hatchling Failed to Emerge
Trapped by Roots
Tissue Sample
 Nests excavated to determine clutch
size and survivorship.
Number of Nesting Events
Spanish Steps 2009-2014
50
Excavating
40
30
Tracks
20
10
0
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Nest
Green Turtle Projects: Invasive Plant and Trash
Removal From Nesting Beaches
 Remote Nesting Beach trash
Removal Tinian Military Lease
Area.
 17 Coast Guard Volunteers.
 850 cubic feet of trash removed
 Invasive lily removal to restore Spanish
Steps nesting beach.
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